The District Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 5, Winter 2017-18 | Page 33

Year to discuss what they did and how they used the money. Beth and Ray Ross were one of the families that received $100. They decided to purchase blankets to provide to the homeless. Beth visited her friend Cindy Davis, who was the Trinity cafe' director at the time. Trinity Cafe' serves meals to the homeless every day. Through discussion with Cindy, Beth learned that the cafe served almost 300 people a day. Beth told her husband that they needed to collect 300 blankets to pass out on Christmas to the homeless. $100 does not purchase 300 blankets so the Ross's created a Facebook page that went viral quick. They started receiving blankets from coast to coast. As committed and promised to herself and Cindy Davis, they collected over 300 blankets and passed them out to all the Trinity Cafe' guest on Christmas. In 2016 they collected 800 blankets and decided to form the 501c3 Blanket Tampa Bay. One year later the Yankees honored the grassroots non-profit for their annual Hope Week. Beth threw out the first pitch and then the Yankees presented her with a donation check in the amount of $10,000. Today, Blanket Tampa Bay is providing much more than blankets to the homeless. Beth and her husband along with a few volunteers distribute blankets and a large variety of hygiene products every Monday from 7-8 pm at St. Peter Claver Church located at 1203 N Nebraska Ave. Their vision is to one day open an urban rest stop in Tampa. A place where the homeless can shower, wash their clothes and use the bathroom in privacy. "The reason I started Blanket Tampa Bay is that anyone could become homeless", said Beth. "All it takes is a one-life changing event to put you out on the street." Print & Business Serivces • Channel District #68 35 We Print • Business Cards • • signs • We can print your • Letterheads • banners and signs • • enveLopes • Grand openings • Corporate events • • Graduations • posters • Parties • Canvas • • pop-up Banners • • eddms • • notary • • shredding • • sCanning • • graphiC design • Copyright © 2015 The UPS Store, Inc. MS410_6410515 The UPS Store | Channel District 107 N. 11th St. Tampa, FL 33602 P. [phone] [email protected] 100 $9.99 starting at Business Cards * Business Card Sale 100 business cards starting at $9.99 To learn more or to become involved with Blanket Tampa Bay visit www.blankettampabay.com. We print what Ask about our Ultra TOUGHcard your business runs on *Valid at this location. 3.5” x 2”, single-sided cards. Copyright © 2016 The UPS Store, Inc. 7946091516 Limited time Offer THE DISTRICT - TAMPA’S URBAN DWELLING MAGAZINE 33